GITNUXREPORT 2025

Workplace Affairs Statistics

Workplace affairs harm trust, productivity, careers, with many kept secret.

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

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Statistic 1

66% of people believe that affairs in the workplace are a serious breach of trust

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55% of people who have engaged in a workplace affair said it negatively impacted their career

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Nearly 25% of employees who engaged in workplace affairs reported that it caused conflict with coworkers

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Nearly 10% of workplace affairs result in formal complaints of harassment or misconduct

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Employees working in high-stress environments are 1.5 times more likely to engage in workplace affairs

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25% of workplace affairs end within three months

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15% of employees who had an affair at work reported that it led to their promotion

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45% of HR professionals believe workplace affairs increase the risk of legal liabilities for companies

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65% of employees think office romances are a risk to workplace productivity

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70% of individuals involved in workplace affairs felt guilty afterward

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80% of companies that experienced a workplace affair reported a decline in employee morale afterward

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55% of employees involved in workplace affairs have been found to experience stress or anxiety afterward

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40% of employees involved in affairs report regrets afterward

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60% of employees involved in workplace affairs reported feeling less committed to their primary partner afterward

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45% of employees involved in workplace affairs report that they felt more stressed at work afterward

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The probability of a workplace affair leading to termination is approximately 30%

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65% of employees believe workplace affairs can negatively impact team dynamics

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Employees engaging in workplace affairs report an average of 15% decrease in overall productivity

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20% of employees involved in workplace affairs reported that their relationships caused work-related stress

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65% of affected employees said their relationships negatively impacted their performance reviews

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40% of all workplace affairs are ended due to company intervention or policy enforcement

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70% of managers believe that workplace affairs can lead to a loss of productivity

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50% of employees involved in workplace affairs have experienced social stigma afterward

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25% of employees who reported workplace affairs faced disciplinary action or termination

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Around 80% of workplace affairs are maintained via emails and texts

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70% of employees who had an affair at work did so with someone they considered a friend

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60% of employees who experienced an office affair said it was motivated by loneliness or dissatisfaction

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20% of workplace affairs involve external parties, such as clients or vendors

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50% of workplace affairs are discovered through accidental events or breaches in confidentiality

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50% of workplace affairs involve a single encounter, while 50% involve ongoing relationships

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60% of HR managers say that workplace affairs require employee counseling or intervention

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The average duration of workplace affairs is approximately 6 months

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40% of employees involved in workplace affairs claim they started the relationship to seek emotional support

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40% of companies have policies explicitly forbidding romantic relationships between employees

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45% of workplaces with policies against office relationships reported breaches

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55% of companies that discovered workplace affairs implemented mandatory counseling sessions

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65% of organizations provide resources or training to prevent workplace romantic relationships

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Approximately 30% of employees admit to having had an affair at work

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45% of workplace affairs involve colleagues who work in the same department

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In a survey, 52% of HR managers reported discovering workplace affairs during investigations

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35% of workplace affairs involve supervisors or managers

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The average age of employees involved in workplace affairs is 35 years old

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25% of workplace affairs are initiated via social media platforms

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The rate of workplace affair investigations increased by 20% over the past five years

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35% of managers admit to having had an affair with an employee

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Nearly 15% of business lawsuits involve allegations related to workplace affairs or misconduct

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10% of employees have been involved in an affair that was exposed publicly

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55% of workplaces experience some form of gossip or rumors related to office romances annually

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25% of workplace affairs involve a person outside of the organization, such as a client or contractor

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85% of workplace affairs go unreported due to fear of retaliation or stigma

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35% of employees involved in workplace affairs confessed to hiding the relationship from colleagues

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50% of HR professionals have reported dealing with an employee involved in a workplace affair in the past year

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90% of workplace affairs occur between employees of the same gender

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Key Highlights

Approximately 30% of employees admit to having had an affair at work
Around 80% of workplace affairs are maintained via emails and texts
66% of people believe that affairs in the workplace are a serious breach of trust
45% of workplace affairs involve colleagues who work in the same department
55% of people who have engaged in a workplace affair said it negatively impacted their career
Nearly 25% of employees who engaged in workplace affairs reported that it caused conflict with coworkers
70% of employees who had an affair at work did so with someone they considered a friend
40% of companies have policies explicitly forbidding romantic relationships between employees
In a survey, 52% of HR managers reported discovering workplace affairs during investigations
60% of employees who experienced an office affair said it was motivated by loneliness or dissatisfaction
35% of workplace affairs involve supervisors or managers
Nearly 10% of workplace affairs result in formal complaints of harassment or misconduct
Employees working in high-stress environments are 1.5 times more likely to engage in workplace affairs

Did you know that nearly one-third of employees admit to having had an office affair, yet over 80% of these relationships are secretly maintained through emails and texts, highlighting the complex and often risky nature of workplace romances?

Impact on Organizations and Employees

66% of people believe that affairs in the workplace are a serious breach of trust
55% of people who have engaged in a workplace affair said it negatively impacted their career
Nearly 25% of employees who engaged in workplace affairs reported that it caused conflict with coworkers
Nearly 10% of workplace affairs result in formal complaints of harassment or misconduct
Employees working in high-stress environments are 1.5 times more likely to engage in workplace affairs
25% of workplace affairs end within three months
15% of employees who had an affair at work reported that it led to their promotion
45% of HR professionals believe workplace affairs increase the risk of legal liabilities for companies
65% of employees think office romances are a risk to workplace productivity
70% of individuals involved in workplace affairs felt guilty afterward
80% of companies that experienced a workplace affair reported a decline in employee morale afterward
55% of employees involved in workplace affairs have been found to experience stress or anxiety afterward
40% of employees involved in affairs report regrets afterward
60% of employees involved in workplace affairs reported feeling less committed to their primary partner afterward
45% of employees involved in workplace affairs report that they felt more stressed at work afterward
The probability of a workplace affair leading to termination is approximately 30%
65% of employees believe workplace affairs can negatively impact team dynamics
Employees engaging in workplace affairs report an average of 15% decrease in overall productivity
20% of employees involved in workplace affairs reported that their relationships caused work-related stress
65% of affected employees said their relationships negatively impacted their performance reviews
40% of all workplace affairs are ended due to company intervention or policy enforcement
70% of managers believe that workplace affairs can lead to a loss of productivity
50% of employees involved in workplace affairs have experienced social stigma afterward
25% of employees who reported workplace affairs faced disciplinary action or termination

Impact on Organizations and Employees Interpretation

While nearly two-thirds of employees view workplace affairs as a breach of trust and many believe they harm productivity and morale, the allure of office romance still persists—though often at the cost of careers, mental health, and team cohesion, revealing that in the workplace, love truly can be a double-edged sword.

Nature and Dynamics of Workplace Affairs

Around 80% of workplace affairs are maintained via emails and texts
70% of employees who had an affair at work did so with someone they considered a friend
60% of employees who experienced an office affair said it was motivated by loneliness or dissatisfaction
20% of workplace affairs involve external parties, such as clients or vendors
50% of workplace affairs are discovered through accidental events or breaches in confidentiality
50% of workplace affairs involve a single encounter, while 50% involve ongoing relationships
60% of HR managers say that workplace affairs require employee counseling or intervention
The average duration of workplace affairs is approximately 6 months
40% of employees involved in workplace affairs claim they started the relationship to seek emotional support

Nature and Dynamics of Workplace Affairs Interpretation

In the digital age of secretary-sneaks and inbox intrigues, workplace affairs—often born from loneliness and maintained through emails—highlight a perilous balancing act where half are fleeting flings and half become long-term entanglements, with HR regularly stepping in to untangle the emotional fallout from office romances that may start with a text and end with a breach of confidentiality.

Policy and Reporting Practices

40% of companies have policies explicitly forbidding romantic relationships between employees
45% of workplaces with policies against office relationships reported breaches
55% of companies that discovered workplace affairs implemented mandatory counseling sessions
65% of organizations provide resources or training to prevent workplace romantic relationships

Policy and Reporting Practices Interpretation

While over half of companies attempt to tame office romance with policies, the nearly half that report breaches and mandatory counseling suggest that passion in the workplace is far from extinguished—and perhaps a reminder that, in matters of love, even policies are no match for human nature.

Workplace Affair Prevalence and Demographics

Approximately 30% of employees admit to having had an affair at work
45% of workplace affairs involve colleagues who work in the same department
In a survey, 52% of HR managers reported discovering workplace affairs during investigations
35% of workplace affairs involve supervisors or managers
The average age of employees involved in workplace affairs is 35 years old
25% of workplace affairs are initiated via social media platforms
The rate of workplace affair investigations increased by 20% over the past five years
35% of managers admit to having had an affair with an employee
Nearly 15% of business lawsuits involve allegations related to workplace affairs or misconduct
10% of employees have been involved in an affair that was exposed publicly
55% of workplaces experience some form of gossip or rumors related to office romances annually
25% of workplace affairs involve a person outside of the organization, such as a client or contractor
85% of workplace affairs go unreported due to fear of retaliation or stigma
35% of employees involved in workplace affairs confessed to hiding the relationship from colleagues
50% of HR professionals have reported dealing with an employee involved in a workplace affair in the past year
90% of workplace affairs occur between employees of the same gender

Workplace Affair Prevalence and Demographics Interpretation

With nearly half of workplace affairs uncovered by HR and over 85% remaining hidden out of fear, it's clear that office romances—particularly those between colleagues of the same gender—are a high-stakes game of love, gossip, and confidentiality, frequently blurring the lines between professional boundaries and personal indiscretions.